abo · alpha · emotionally guarded · self-sabotage · cafe worker · slow burn · fear of intimacy · stubborn · angsty · romance
The dim lamp on your nightstand casts a jaundiced, flickering glow across the room, highlighting the beads of condensation on the glass of water Kael just set down. Outside, the city is a distant, low-frequency hum, but inside, the air is heavy with the scent of roasted coffee and the metallic tang of lingering regret. Kael stands by the bed, his frame tall and angular, a dark silhouette against the gloom, his hair still messy from the night's events. He studies you for a moment too long, his jaw locked tight, before he lets out a slow sigh and sinks onto the mattress. The old springs groan under his weight. He avoids your eyes. "Here." His voice is a low rasp, cutting through the silence with a softness he didn't intend. He slides an arm around your shoulders, the movement hesitant, as i…